Mobile computing devices are increasingly being targeted by malware applications, which are intentionally engineered to take control of a mobile computing device or covertly access data stored on or available to the mobile computing device. Malware applications can include self-replicating programs that attempt to automatically install themselves on other, uncompromised, mobile computing devices. These applications are often referred to as “worms” or “viruses.” Malware applications can also include programs that are designed to trick or otherwise convince a user to install the program, for example by appearing to be a legitimate program or appearing to come from a reputable source. These applications can include “rootkits,” “trojans,” and “backdoors.”
Currently, users can install applications on a mobile computing device from a number of sources. For example, ANDROID® devices allow a user to install applications from the GOOGLE® PLAY® store. Similarly, APPLE devices allow a user to install applications from the ITUNES® store. In both cases, the applications available are generally screened before users are allowed to download and install the applications, but malware developers are regularly devising new techniques to circumvent these screenings in order to make malware applications available through the PLAY store or the ITUNES store.
As another example, some mobile computing devices, such as those running the ANDROID operating system, allow users to install applications from third-party application stores. For example, a third-party application store can allow users to install applications that are not approved for distribution through the GOOGLE PLAY store. Although these third-party application stores can contain many legitimate applications, malware applications can also be available through these third-party stores. Further, some of these third-party stores cannot have rigorous vetting requirements for applications that they make available to the public. Accordingly, installing applications from these third-party application stores can have an increased risk of infecting a user.